01 NOV 25

Oxbear is already gone to his weekly Saturday morning business meeting when I walk out to kid-activity...

...where Patience has organized her entire candy trove into neatly soldiered lines by brand...

...which of course doesn't sit long without notice because Yali decides to award himself the role of “Braces Sheriff” and begins tossing out all candies he deems unacceptable...

“YALI! What are you doing?!” // “I'm EXPOSING all the candy you can't have to MOM!”

Some hours later all candy offenses and crimes have been forgotten as Patience returns from two hours at the studio...

...and I spin south and back in just under an hour to return Patience's dance shoes for a half-size smaller per her teacher... silent marching of near-weeping cloudscapes over forest tinged with little explosions of russet and carrot in a sparse season of color...

But sky shades are nearer violet back home and rain really is coming...

Yali is out in the yard sling-shooting the last of the baby potatoes through the air... smashing into trees... “HAHAHAHA!”...

After burgers and sandwiches... by dark... scoot Patience south again through the raindrops to Webster Groves for an ice skating birthday party with dance friends bearing gifts of Squishmallow and face masks in orange and watermelon and lip balms and other girly offerings...

...as Puck texts me about leather upholstery tape and neodymium magnets...

...while Oxbear and Yali pack up to join Theodore and Gloria at The Sheldon where Z&M are playing on stage with Sandra McCracken...